Tring booked a place in the Herts Charity Shield Final with a superb battling display against top of the table London Colney.

On a windy but dry night Colney started the brighter of the two teams, but it didn't take Tring long to get into their stride with Lee Stobbs, Chris Vardy and Chris Stapleton making Colney's back four work hard.

A Stobbs corner after 5 minutes fell to Vardy, who crashed his shot against the bar. Stobbs was giving the Colney left back a torrid time, whipping in cross after cross. The winning goal arrived in the 16th minute, again from the right hand side, a ball was played inside to Luke Dunstan who ran with the ball before unleashing an unstopable bullet of a shot from 25 yards that gave the Colney keeper no chance. This was lukes 3rd goal in as many games !!

Tring were much the better team in the blustery conditions, another Stobbs cross this time headed just over by Chris Stapleton, and right on half time a free kick was swung in where Luke Dunstan's shot was smothered by the busy London Colney keeper. HT 0-1

The 2nd half was always going to be alot tougher against the wind, both teams struggling to play any flowing football, Chris Vardy had a goalbound shot cleared, Colney started to enjoy a period of pressure but Athletic's back four of Twelves, Smith, O’Connor and Mason kept most efforts at goal to long range attempts. As the half went on, a couple of the home teams players got themselves booked after a few robust challenges and Jack Hopwood had to be alert to firstly clear a point blank shot with his head and then tip over a header from an inswinging corner. Colneys last chance came when the keeper came up for a free kick and the ball was somehow put over the bar from close range. FT 0-1

A fantastic hard working, much deserved win for Athletic against a very strong London Colney outfit, every player putting a shift in !! A special mention goes to Chris Stapleton, who ran his socks off up front.

We now look forward to playing near neighbours Berkhamsted Town in the Final

Well after Saturday's match in which there was some fine finishing this was a game where we missed loads of chances late on and so we lost 1-0 finally to yet another early goal.
The visitors forced a succession of early corners which the Blueboys defence managed to clear despite having their backs to the very strong wind blowing straight down the pitch.
Left back Tom Silford who had a brilliant match on Saturday went on a run early on and let fly from 25 yards with a sizzling shot that flew only inches just wide of Jack Hopwood's right hand post. Minutes later a fine curling corner kick from Tom Silford saw Hopwood punch clear from under the bar as the ball was heading goalwards.
After this little bit of bright play from the Blueboys they soon found themselves a goal down when Jack Woods high ball into the swirling wind went back over his head and the rest of the midfield failed to deal with clearing it and Luke DUNSTAN found himself with plenty of time and space to hit home a 25 yard strike into the bottom right corner to give Tring a 1-0 lead.
London Colney nearly hit back when Jack Woods swept over a low cross from the right wing and Shaun Murphy (what was he doing that far upfield) effort went just wide of Hopwood's near upright.
Tring then went close to adding another goal but from close range Luke Dunstan header flew just over bar after a good cross in from the right by Chris Stapleton.
Jack Woods then had a good shot on goal which saw Hopwood pull off a good save whilst at the other Lee Stubbs burst through and Blueboys custodian Tom Gowans made a great block low down to his right.
Early into the second half Tom Silford put over a great cross from the left into the box which was punched clear by Hopwood and Archie McClelland played the ball out wide to Dan Power whose cross-cum-shot just skimmed over the top of the crossbar. Next Power sent in an excellent free kick which saw Jon Clements head just over the bar and then from another free kick which the visitors were conceding one after another saw Jack Woods whip the ball over and Gregg Douglas racing in at the back post saw his header go just over with Hopwood well beaten. All Douglas got for his efforts was a boot in the face so should it have been penalty as he had to go off for treatment for the blood streaming down his face. Yes!
From yet another free kick out on the left saw Jack Woods again whip the ball over and Dunstan who had scored for Tring nearly put the ball into own net but luckily for him his clearance went whistling over his crossbar, Phew he thought.
Yes from another free kick which Woods took again saw Clements low drive saved by Hopwood and then minutes later Jon Clements had the ball in the back of the net after Dave Parkinson had helped on a long kick forward from Tom Gowans but Parkinson was adjudged to have been offside, dam!
The Blueboys continued to press forward and Ashley Morrissey had a curling free kick saved and then Spencer Clarke-Mardel effort on goal was also saved. Next Tom Silford sent over a great curling corner kick to the far post from which Greg Shaw saw his goal bound header pushed over bar by a good save from Jack Hopwood (who was having a good game against us not like the other week when at home he pushed the ball into his own net following a long throw in into the box).
Then in final seconds of the match after the Blueboys had won yet another corner kick which this time Jon Clements took and as the ball curled into the goalmouth in rushed Spencer Clarke-Mardel and from very close range blazed the ball over the bar when everybody thought it was going in and so the Blueboys were out of the cup. Tring did their best to waste time or in other words slow the game down by blasting the ball high over the trees towards the A414 but luckily we found them all, no sour grapes now Tezza.